Iran's Supreme Leader Calls Trump's Signature 'Worthless' After U.S. Strikes Resume

On July 18, 2026, Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei declared that U.S. President Donald Trump's signature is "utterly worthless and invalid," citing repeated American violations of a memorandum of understanding signed on June 18. The MoU, mediated by Qatar and Pakistan, was intended to create conditions for ending the conflict and establish a framework for negotiations within 60 days. Khamenei stated in a message carried by Iranian state media that U.S. breaches had "once again revealed its true and unmasked face," describing the violations as evidence of American "deceitfulness, irrationality, unreliability and wickedness."

The statement came as military escalation intensified. The United States conducted its seventh consecutive night of strikes, targeting military infrastructure, civilian facilities, and desalination plants in Iran's southern Hormozgan province and the strategic Qeshm Island near the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian state media reported that U.S. bombing destroyed one desalination plant and damaged another, disrupting water supplies to approximately 10,000 people. Bridges, railway lines, and access routes to Iran's principal port at Bandar Abbas were also hit. In response, Iran launched strikes on civilian infrastructure in Kuwait, damaging an oil installation and desalination facility and prompting Kuwaiti authorities to call for electricity rationing.

On the same day, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi announced that Tehran had ceased implementing its obligations under the MoU, accusing Washington of violating its commitments. Khamenei warned that if the United States continued what he characterized as warmongering and imposed "heavier costs," Iran and its "resistance front" would deliver "unforgettable lessons." He called on Iranians to maintain national unity, national vigilance, and confidence in military leadership. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian endorsed this message, stating that "adherence to the demands of sacred unity and rejection of discord and division are the key to victory in this historical moment."

The conflict, which began in February 2026, is viewed as existential by Iran's senior leadership. Both Tehran and Washington have declared the accord "over" after accusing each other of violations. Regional mediation efforts remain stalled, while reports suggest that Yemen's Houthis may close the Bab al-Mandeb gateway to the Red Sea in support of Iran, a move that would further destabilize global energy markets and increase pressure on the Trump administration.